Nestlé Opens Expanded Manukau Production Facility

MEDIA RELEASE
August 12, 2003

Nestlé New Zealand Opens New Expanded Production Facility In Manukau City

Nestlé New Zealand's new, expanded production facility at its Cambria Park site in Wiri, Manukau City, was officially opened today by the company's worldwide chairman, Rainer Gut and New Zealand's Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Helen Clark.

The opening is an exciting milestone for Nestlé and the result of a $20 million investment by the company. It was the main reason for Mr Gut's visit, the first to New Zealand by a Nestlé chairman, demonstrating Nestlé's confidence in the local business and the world-class status of the facility.

"The Cambria Park extension means increased production, the creation of 65 new jobs and an extra $25 million in export revenues, taking total export earnings up to $70 million," said Mr Gut. "It demonstrates Nestlé's commitment to an ongoing presence in Manukau and New Zealand."

Nestlé first entered the New Zealand market more than 100 years ago when it began selling Nestlé milk products in the 1880s. The original Cambria Park production facility was officially opened in May 1962 by the then Prime Minister, Sir Keith Holyoake, and has been expanded several times over the years.

Prime Minister Helen Clark, speaking at today's ceremony, reflected on Prime Minister Holyoake's words from the 1962 opening that the factory was 'part of the new New Zealand we must create in the 1960s.'

"It is modern, adaptable, capable of rapid expansion, highly efficient and fully competitive with Nestlé's other 150 factories throughout the world," Mr Holyoake said.

"And I ask what has changed?" said Prime Minister Helen Clark who added the Nestlé expansion was music to her ears as well as those of the Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis and the local government MPs.

The factory's most recent expansion was announced following a decision to consolidate sugar confectionery production from two sites, one in Australia and Waiuku. It increases Nestlé New Zealand's capacity to be internationally competitive in the global market as a significant exporter of value-added products.

Nestlé's Cambria Park factory has recently contributed $20,000 and volunteered staff to the Manukau City Council to plant a section of the Puhinui Reserve, as part of it's Wai Care programme to improve water quality of the Puhinui Stream.

The support is part of the Nestlé Community Environment Programme designed to have a positive impact in communities in which the company operates through participation in projects and initiatives that help the environment.

About Nestlé New Zealand:

Nestlé New Zealand is one of New Zealand's top six FMCG food companies. It has seven business sites in New Zealand and employs around 700 people. Nestlé New Zealand's sales total nearly $350 million per annum. Nestlé KIT KAT is New Zealand's number one chocolate bar. MAGGI is a dominant market leader, found in virtually every New Zealand home - over 70,000,000 retail units sold every year. MILO is a New Zealand icon and has an 89 percent market share of tonic drinks. NESCAFÉ is New Zealand's favourite coffee - two in every five cups of soluble coffee is NESCAFÉ.

Released on behalf of Nestlé New Zealand by Porter Novelli New Zealand For further information please contact:

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